


The Hawk and the Hummingbird

by InquisitiveCookie



Category: Original Work
Genre: Eventual Smut, F/M, Fantasy, Magic, Pining, Size Difference, Size Kink, Tags Are Hard, True Mates, Urban Fantasy, maybe one shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-12
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-19 02:15:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29992362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InquisitiveCookie/pseuds/InquisitiveCookie
Summary: Newly licensed Special Agent Mina just found out something interesting about her former boss. While completely unexpected, this amorous news is not unwanted.Mostly a lot of size kink because I’m obsessed with size kink. Warning: I may never pick this up again.  I’m Sorry not sorry except to myself. Enjoy the fluff.
Relationships: Original Female Character/Original Male Character
Kudos: 3





	The Hawk and the Hummingbird

“Gorlath speaks highly of you, Agent Mina.” 

Behind his stack of paper, Commissioner Korve didn’t fight his growing grin, “Tell me, is it true that you got everyone safely out of The Tundra during the Blood Moon incident?”

The explosive energy that shot through Mina’s veins at these words made the room waver in front of her eyes. Gorlath Ravshek actually spoke highly of her? As if registering the spike in temperature, the clanking air conditioner whirred to life. 

Mina slowly nodded, her lips twitched with the struggle to hold back the rush of a giddy smile. At her apparent struggle, Korve’s grin solidified into a genuine smile on his wrinkled face.

Mina threw back her shoulders, raising her chin to stand as tall as her five-foot frame allowed. Her heart thrummed wildly as she pictured Gorlath towering over the stocky commissioner, regaling Korve with Mina’s magical exploits. Of course, her imaginings were wildly fantastical and had likely consisted of a few grunts and well-chosen words from the stoic bruiser. 

Korve set his paperwork down on an unstable pile of files, they slipped closer to the edge of the desk beneath the added weight, “If all these reports are to be believed, and knowing Mr. Ravshek, they are, you’ve done exemplary work, Special Agent Mina.” 

Mina lost control of her twitching lips, allowing the barest glimmer of a grin, “I’ve had an excellent mentor.” 

The door swung open behind her, almost knocking into her, but she moved fast enough out of its intended pathway. Its intended path led to a loud slam as it hit the wall. As if summoned, Gorlath filled the doorway and somehow managed to crowd his way into the tiny commissioner's office. 

Gorlath ducked, bending under the doorframe, though the top of his head still brushed it. He wore his bar clothes, a too tight black t-shirt to show off his impressive musculature and a pair of blue jeans. He seemed to fill in all the extra space in the room, his head bumping the low-hanging light fixtures. His intimidating height crowding the already cramped room.

The titan didn’t stand, he loomed. His huge barrel chest rose high above them at a towering seven-foot-ten. Mina and Korve both inhaled sharply, holding their breath at the sudden, jarring entry and watched the still trembling light fixtures with concern. Not one to be intimidated, Mina kept her gaze locked on Gorlath the entire time.

Her instincts screamed:  _ Show no weakness, Mina. _

When they’d first met, Gorlath had done his best to intimidate the ever-loving Gaia out of her. At nearly eight feet tall, with a body built for fighting, it had been difficult for Mina to hide the visceral fear she felt in the presence of a natural predator. 

That day, she’d been a green horn cadet and the brilliant lights of the VIP night club had dazzled her, as had the giant man standing behind the counter. As soon as she’d entered, his eyes had latched on to her with predatory precision. 

“Need something?” He’d growled, eyes never once leaving her face as he prowled behind the bar towards her position. He stopped inches away from her, his chest moving up and down in a heavy pant.

_ Fuck, is he smelling me? I took a shower. At least I don’t smell like the grease drain.  _

His lips were turned down in a weighted frown. The room darkened at his apparent change in mood. Likely her imagination again.

The titan had a severely crooked nose, sharp cat-like eyes, a lopsided jaw, and a grossly over-muscled body that was barely contained by a plain white t-shirt

He could never pass for handsome. 

Nevertheless, Mina had stared up at the unknown titan with a silent, gasp. Shaking her head, she steeled her spine and returned his steady, piercing gaze, “Cadet Wilhemina SnowHawk, reporting.”

“Smaller than I thought” he’d said in an unearthly, deep bass that vibrated through the floors, into boots, and settled at her core. Her body vibrated in tandem with the deep rumble. His height forced her to tilt her head back and his chest was so close that she could smell his cologne. 

She nodded, struggling for words, “Yes, uh, Mr. Gorlath?”

She handed over her paperwork, which Gorlath had taken and read, “It’s  _ Mr. Ravshek. _ ”

He hadn’t looked or talked with her again that entire day. Or rarely at all if he could avoid it all together.

The room had dropped several degrees in warmth as soon as  _ Mr. Ravshek _ left her standing dumbfounded on the empty dance floor. He’d set the frigid atmosphere from day one, never once letting her forget the uncertainty of her provisionary status. He avoided her, barely spoke more than a sentence or to when necessary, but was a great teacher when he had all of the provisional agents in one room.

Every interaction between them left her rattled, not only by his icy detachment, but also by an odd buzzing energy that danced across her skin whenever he was close by. She felt it even when he wasn’t nearby, so she’d assumed it was the latent spells woven into the night-club.

Mina wasn’t truly hurt by his severe formality. His job description as the hiring liaison to the city's federally funded freelance magic agency required his icy detachment. Still, Mina had followed Gorlath’s fashion and minimized their interactions to the daily debriefings. 

Over the past year, Gorlath hadn’t completely thawed towards Mina. In all, Mina could count on one hand how many times she’s had an actual conversation with Gorlath. 

Out of that small handful, only one of those conversations had been on a personal matter. Yet now and then, when she caught his gaze from across the room, she could have sworn she saw a glimmer of respect. 

Now, standing in the Commissioner's office, the usual icy wake that followed Gorlath had turned into a smoltering bonfire. 

“Am I late?” Gorlath growled, startling Korve into toppling his stack of papers. 

“N-no,” Korve managed to swallow past the tension in the air, “Not at all. Right on time.” 

Mina broke her stare to dart a look between the two men. Like a thick steam, the room was blanketed in a heavy silence. Mina waited stiffly, the tense silence edging towards painful with every prolonged moment in Gorlath’s presence. 

Her skin itched.

Korve broke the silence with a deep, throaty cough and hard shake of his body. 

“Mina,” his smile warmed its way back onto his face, stretching up into his eyes, “It is with great honor that I bestow you with your license and agency badge.” 

The commissioner stretched out over his desk, clasping Mina’s hand as he passed her a gilded badge and a packet of paper that had somehow avoided the prior toppling off his desk. 

As though magnetized, her eyes fell down on the pristine metal. Her fingers drifted over the shield, tracing it reverently, up until her fingers brushed over the engraved symbols of a staff, crystal and wand. At the bottom in black letters was the oath she’d recited on the first day of her probationary license, “ _ I, Mina Sylvalyn, will shield those in need with whatever powers I may wield.” _

Like a dragon with its newly found hoard, Mina clutched the badge close to her chest, utterly captivated. Her heart beat thunderously, a deafening drum that drowned out her hearing. 

Korve clapped once, breaking the spell, “Congratulations, Mina. It has been a pleasure helping you get this far. In the paperwork, you’ll find your designated precinct, its center of operations, and meeting times. Good luck.”

“Thank you, Commissioner Korve. I really appreciate this opportunity,” Mine said in a rush, eager to leave the room, she spun on her heel and nodded at Gorlath as she edged around his bulk. 

Before she could make her escape Gorlath’s hand brushed her shoulder, grabbing her attention. She winced. It burned her to her core, like liquid lightning that danced through her veins and into a secret space that made her body sing. Breath shallow, lightheaded, she looked up.

He never touched her. Pointedly avoided any and all contact. 

Her head spun.

“Dinner.  _ The Tundra. _ 10:30 pm.” Gorlath spoke with such force and unquestionable demand that Mina simply nodded her head. Mina couldn’t wait any longer in the confined office, her legs shaking with the need to run.

In a daze, Mina sped down the hall, taking the stairs two at a time until they burned more than her blood seemed to burn. 

Head spinning, she fell into her car, clutching her forehead.  _ Forget it. Push it away. You did it. That’s all that matters, right? _

She didn’t fight the giddy smile that bubbled upward, her lips twitching as she traced the outline of the gold badge again and again. 

She set her badge on the dashboard of her tiny car, shoving her hands in her pocket to grapple with her phone. Her fingers shook, locking her screen twice as she hit the wrong button. She swiped a hand across her forehead with each failed attempt. 

Growling at her phone, she took a deep breath, waiting for her nerves to settle. 

_ One. Two. Three. Breath. _

Calm, her fingers sweaty but still, she managed to unlock her phone to snap a single photo of her shiny new badge. 

She sent the picture to her brother along with a single message, “I did it.” 

Laughing, she tossed her phone onto the passenger sea. Her eyes kept straying to her badge, the road a mere distraction. She snatched her phone, checking for any new messages as she hopped out of her car.

“Of course he wouldn’t respond,” she whispered, shaking her head in frustration at Will’s continued silence. She shouldn’t have expected a reply, but she felt compelled to share her joy with her last living family member. 

In a giddy haze, the rest of the day flew past. She replayed Gorlath’s demand over in her head, trying to puzzle out any ulterior intentions. Finding none, Mina gave in.

*~*

“I’m just gonna have to go,” she decided. 

When she peeked over at the clock to see it changing to 8:45 pm, Mina trudged to her closet. Grumbling loudly at her pile of growing laundry, Mina grabbed out an old peasant blouse, some jeans, and her lucky tennis shoes. 

Thanks to her blaring radio, driving to the train station was the easy part. As she parked, Mina looked up at the flashing red sign over the train terminal. She hit the steering wheel in frustration, grating out between clenched teeth, “Fuck buckets!”

Mina chanted a string of colorful curses as she jogged over to the information booth.

Mina hugged herself for warmth before tapping on the plexiglass.

“Hi, excuse me?” Mina waved, “Could you please tell me when the next train to the city arrives?”

“We got the bullet train still running. Heads out at 9:10. Only five bucks more than a regular ticket, miss.”

“Thanks,” Mina yelled as she jogged over to the automated ticket booth. 

“$15 for a one-way ticket. What a rip off.” Mina muttered as she rummaged in her wallet for extra cash. 

Left with no choice, Mina spent the extra five dollars and hopped onto the packed bullet train. She wove her way through the passengers, murmuring apologies until she found a comfortable place to stand. 

The twenty minute ride it took the train to get to her destination gave her too much time to chew her lips red. 

Mina rode the train in silence and exited at the only Downtown District station that stopped this late at night. Downtown had no parking and no streets, allowing for more spacious buildings and open air parks. A great place to walk, not such an easy place to work if you couldn’t afford train fare. 

“I’m so fucking glad I wore tennis shoes,” taking a deep breath, she started the three mile walk to the popular night-club.

She’d have to take a late night cab back home after this, but Gorlath’s demand left no room for question, so she’d have to deal with the minor inconveniences. 

The sun had already set, giving the downtown district a chance to show off its ritzy lights and bawdy music. There were plenty of pedestrians out, making Mina’s journey less vulnerable to attack. Then again, whether on or off duty, Mina kept herself armed. Her five-foot-nothing fey height attracted the worst male attention. She loved the look of horror and surprise when she easily immobilized an offender. Thankfully she was unaccosted the entire trek to the club. 

She slowed her steps, still buzzing with latent energy and now from the magic that oozed out of  _ The Tundra— _ Even from twenty feet away. 

The thrumming of the heavy bass and the extensive line of eager club-goers drew Mina’s attention for a brief moment. A kaleidoscopes of hazy colors burst around each person, purples and yellows and pinks. Purple for intoxication, yellows for joy, shades of pink for lust and love—the last two almost interchangeable. Visible to everyone but nearly blinding to anyone who had magical senses. 

With a hooded look, Mina brushed past a group of boisterous young women dressed in short dresses and tall heels. Soft yellow light danced around their heads, joyously announcing their youth and happiness.

“I can’t believe how long the wait is for this place.”

“It’s so worth it, the music is heavy and the magic is decadent,” whispered one girl, eyes fixed to the buff bouncer at the entrance, “And the staff is hot as Hela.”

In nothing but a black shirt, blue jeans, and tennis shoe, Mina had dressed to look innocuous but comfortable. She didn’t fit the party-goer style.

The group of young women threw their heads back in laughter and a sliver of jealousy shot through her. She walked behind the building, ignoring her growing envy, and walked towards the employee entrance. 

Prepping herself to wait out the cold for the five minutes it took for someone to answer, Mina stamped her feet and brushed her arms. “Hurry up this once, please Braunk.”

Looking down at her phone she groaned, “10:00 pm. Only thirty minutes early.”

Mina stopped to survey the alley behind her, turning to see if anyone had followed her. She waited a few minutes, rubbing her arms and shivering in the dark before pressing hard on the camouflaged buzzer.

Before she’d even let go, the brick wall swung inward. One of the bouncers, a burly dwarf named Braunk, stretched out a piece of paper. His bushy eyebrows nearly covered his golden eyes, “Got something here for you.” 

Mina took the paper with a muttered thanks.

Unfolding it, Mina read under her breath, “Second floor. Knock.”

Braunk coughed, waiting for her to tear her eyes away from the paper. He jerked his head, braids tinkling with the movement, “Was told to let you in and show you up.”

Mina flashed a quick smile, tucking the paper away as she followed the gruff bouncer. 

“Up this way.” Braunk grunted. Her brows drew high, her lips parting in approval and appreciation. In the many times she’d walked through the club she’d never seen this stairwell. In fact, it had never even existed until now. 

_ An obfuscation spell? Expensive. _

“Thanks, Braunk,” Mina waved behind her as she started up the blue and gold painted stairwell. 

The stairs ended at an impressively large black oak door. Mina knocked, standing perfectly still, clasping her hands behind her to keep them from shaking.

Within a heartbeat of her last knock, Gorlath opened the door, dressed far more sharply than her casual shirt and jeans.

He wore a tailored button-down white shirt partially buttoned up to the middle of his chest. A sleek black dinner jacket, black pants, and oiled leather boots finished the look. His frame nearly filled the entire door, an impressive feat seeing as the door looked custom made.

_ Great Gaia, I forget how huge he is sometimes. _

His long, powerful legs were molded into his tight black dress pants. His black dress shoes glistened in the soft yellow light. 

_ Newly polished.  _

With a growing blush, Mina fought a glance downward at her lackluster appearance, “Um, it looks like I came underdressed.” 

_ I guess blue jeans and tennis shoes aren’t exactly the right dress code.  _

He’d styled and combed his short auburn hair from its usual tousled and frazzled state. Hints of aftershave wafted gently off him. 

_ He cleans up nicely. _

Gorlath stared at her, watching her embarrassment with unblinking eyes. 

“You’re early,.” he bit out. 

“Come in,” he moved to the side to allow her entrance. His posture stiffened at her approach, his clothing stretching over his tensed muscles. She eyed the narrow hallway. 

_ I wonder how often he entertains guests?  _ There was barely any room for her to pass by him.  _ Huge. Handsome. Too little space _ .

Whispering a quick thank you, Mina sidled past Gorlath into the hallway, praying her thoughts weren’t broadcasting themselves too loudly

He moved robotically, arms stiff and trembling, as though fearful of touching her, Gorlath edged behind her to close and lock the door. 

Mina kept her focus on the hallway, her heart rate accelerating painfully as the heat of his gaze drove through the back of her head. He stepped closer, seeming breathless as he stood directly behind her. At his close proximity, the buzzing energy that always filled the space between them grew louder, like a hive of angry bees. 

“You’re early,” he repeated. She felt the warmth of his hand like a ray of intense light as it hovered over her shoulder. 

“Dinner,” he coughed, “ is not quite ready.”

Not wanting to wait in the hallway any longer with the giant man standing uncomfortably close, she walked out into the dining room. 

“Oh, that’s alright. Is there anything I can help with?” 

The hallway emptied out into a dining room that fed into an open kitchen. A plethora of pans simmered and steamed with tantalizing scents. None of the thumping, heavy bass from the club below penetrated through the wood floor. 

“Wow. That is a really good obfuscation spell.” She mumbled _.  _

Tall, white pillar candles covered every open flat surface. On the kitchen island, candles were strategically placed all across the gray marble. A sturdy wooden table for two sat flush against the island.

_ Nope. He definitely doesn’t have guests often.  _

A long, thin vase filled with snowdrop flowers adorned the middle of the table. Two smaller candles sat beside the vase. The sweet-scented snow blossoms glittered in the candlelight, dewy droplets beckoning her closer. Two plates and two sets of silverware were set out. A gentle piano sonata filled the room from a hidden surround sound system. 

“Oh,” she gasped, “Did I interrupt something?”

Sensing the growing buzz of his presence, Mina turned and nearly collided with Gorlath. 

Again, he stood directly behind her, leaving her to take a startled step back and crane her head up past the belt buckle that was at her eye level. She forced her eyes upward to meet the blazing warmth of Gorlath’s gold eyes.

“No,” he frowned down at her, “Dinner is not ready. Please sit.”

His deep voice rumbled, stroking a chord in her chest that sent shivers down her spine to her curled toes. In two swift moves, Gorlath pulled out her chair. His fingers were clenched around the seatback, his knuckles slowly losing color. Mina took one tentative step forward and another. Gorlath pivoted to stride over to the marble counter. 

With a heavy thud and the splash of liquid, Gorlath set a clear pitcher onto the table. 

He scanned the table, staring for a moment before blurting out, “Cups.” 

He pivoted away, striding back into the kitchen with a thunderous look. 

She watched him rummage through the cupboards. 

Mina pulled her chair in, pressing her hands into her lap beneath the table. 

Trying to find anything else to look at beyond the clearly unsettled Titan, her gaze finally settled on the white snowdrop flowers.

Like most fey, she was enchanted by plant life, and snowdrop blooms were a particular favorite. She reached out to touch the petals of the sweet-smelling flower, a small smile crept across her face as she brushed the velvet soft petals.

Gorlath slammed down two round cups on the table, startling her hands back into her lap. One cup looked like a toy in Gorlath’s hands and the other fit comfortably in his too-tight frip. 

With the efficiency of a long-time bartender, Gorlath poured a waterfall of purple liquid into each cup. 

“Dewberry tea,” he said, “Your favorite.”

“Uh, yes. It is. Thank you,” she smiled. Leaning forward to reach for the cup, a blistering energy pulsed along her fingertips as she brushed his hand. That briefest of butterfly touches caused each of them to jump back in sudden surprise.

His easy expression darkened again, like a roll of thunderous clouds taking away the warm summer sun. 

The gentle sonata, the small candles, the vase of snowdrop flowers, and the dewberry juice were an absolute anathema to the stormy countenance of Gorlath. His home filled her with warmth and comfort. Not the bachelor pad she’d pictured over the past few years. 

She sipped her drink, letting out a moan of pleasure at the iced beverage. She had a running tab at the bar for this “specialty” drink. Whether off duty or on duty, Mina exclusively drank dewberry tea or water. 

_ Predictable Mina. _

Gorlath’s simple thoughtful gesture warmed her stomach, but the butterflies battling it out in there were confused by this sudden outburst of kindness.

He came back out of the kitchen, sitting across from Mina with his back to the kitchen, giving her his full attention. 

“Dinner will be ready in ten minutes.”

The lilting, relaxing sounds of the piano were offset by the awkward stiff tension that filled up their nonexistent conversation. Mina took a deep breath, chewing on her lip and wiggled forward in her seat until her elbows were on her knees.

Not sure how to approach the subject, Mina chose the safest route and chose utmost formality, 

“About all of this, Mr. Ravshek—” She started.

“Gorlath,” he demanded, “just Gorlath. I’m not your supervisor anymore.”

Taking a deep breath, she nodded and licked her dry lips. He watched her intently, clocking her every move and expression. Her tongue froze on his name. She bit the inside of her lip.

“Please,” he whispered so softly and so gently that she was startled into a small, nervous laugh.

“Gorlath,” she said with a rueful smile. The giant man seemed to shudder and the golden hue of his eyes seemed to intensify as he stared at her. 

_ Wow,  _ her heart pounded a little faster,  _ His eyes are gorgeous.  _

His lopsided grin looked far too much like a sneer, but she knew that was due to his pronounced jaw and underbite.

“As you were saying?”

“Gorlath,” Mina tried for another grin. She sat up straight again and resting her hands on her knees to keep them from curling into fists. Motes of magic started to accumulate around her. Attracted to the swelling wave of her emotions. 

She clenched her teeth as she bit the inside of her lip.

_ Just be blunt, Mina. _ “What’s all of this for?”

“An attempt.” 

A slight headache blooded behind her eyes.

Her jaw slackened, her teeth running over her downturned lips, “Pardon me for not understanding, but what do you mean by an attempt?” 

“An attempt is when a Titan seeks out a female for a specific sexual relationship.”

She cleared her throat, jaw working as she shook her head, “A  _ specific  _ sexual relationship?

“Yes,” Gorlath nodded, “for mating.”

Mina’s mouth worked up and down, at a complete loss for words. 

She squeaked, “Wait— What?”

Gorlath’s face mirrored her earlier confusion, “What do you not understand?”

She looked around her briefly for cameras, people, anything to explain this bizarre turn in events.

“Great Gaia, Gorlath, who put you up to this? You hate me!” She slapped her hands on the table as she laughed bitterly.

In the storm of her growing anger, magic swirled outward to warp the spells in the room. A useful gift when under control, but when left unattended it tended to strike out. 

In this case, the ground startled to tremble, the obfuscation spell weakening enough to let the rumbling electronic bass pass through the wood floor. 

“From day one, you’ve been nothing but cold and standoffish. You can’t even stand to be near me!” Mina fought against her magic. 

_ Deep breath in, Mina.  _ She inhaled, focusing her unchecked power into the reliquary at her hip. 

With a faint but audible pop, the obfuscation spell snapped into place, drowning out the club's cacophony. 

She let out a hiss of breath before continuing, “Every morning before work, I wondered if this would be the day I put in my letter of resignation. Forget all my aspirations and quit because some asshole thought I was too weak to become an agent. For Gaia’s sake, Gorlath who wants to work around someone that can’t tolerate them?”

“Of course I could hardly tolerate you, Mina,” Gorlath growled in that earth shattering rumble, running a hand through his hair giving its usual tousled flare, “Every time I’m near you, I want to push you up against a wall and fuck you. The past two years I have wanted nothing more than to make my intentions known. Do you know how utterly unprofessional it is to fuck your employees? Let alone attempt them?”

“That’s utter bullshit,” she snarled as an unbidden memory bubbled up. Some nymph bartender wrapped around his waist, crying out his name. “It’s never stopped you before.”

“That’s because you’re different, Mina!” His voice rose loud enough to cause the glasses on the table to shake, “I have waited an entire year to claim you as mine, Mina. I was your boss. Now I am not. But Mina, know this, I never meant for you to feel that way.”

“So what? Now that you’re not my boss anymore it makes it perfectly fine for you to proposition me? If I refuse, do I lose my license? Do I get blacklisted? I might be fayden, Gorlath, but I’m not stupid.” 

Mina’s shoulders shook, electric currents of magic causing her hair to lift at odd angles. She pushed away from the table, standing uneasily on legs that felt like jello.

At a speed faster than a man his size should have been able to move, Gorlath snagged her arm. 

She hissed as his fingers squeezed her bicep hard. At her hiss, he loosened his grip to whisper his fingers down her arm, leaving a trail of gentle warmth across her skin. 

Magic danced from her skin to his, little sparks of gold and pink that seemed to kiss his fingers and send hot waves of  _ something _ into her veins. His throat worked silently. His eyes scanning her face as if searching for something.

Determination hardened his features as he stepped closer. With two eerily graceful movements, Gorlath moved to stand beside her chair. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Gorlath kneel with deliberate slowness and far more controlled grace than someone his height should have been able to achieve. Even kneeling in front of her he still stood a head taller. After three deep, shaky breathes, Mina found it in herself to look up at him. 

“I am not a man of many words, Mina,” his golden eyes glowed, “but I will find them for you. ”

“Please,” he begged barely above a whisper, “Let me try to explain.” 

Mina must have given some tiny cue, because Gorlath broke into a crooked grin.

“I have tried to keep myself distant from you. I did not want to compromise myself or your position. I have known for quite some time that you were my heartmate, but claiming you would have disrupted far too much for your budding career.”

He curled his fingers around hers, begging her with his eyes and his soft touch. 

“How long have you known?”

“From the first day I saw you,” he brushed her cheek with a free hand turning her gaze to his face. She didn’t, couldn’t struggle against his steely soft grip.

His fingers were rough as they trailed down, stopping at her collar bone and leaving her with a tingling numbness that slithered down her neck. 

“It has been very hard for me, Mina,” his voice and fingers shook, “I could not approach you with my intentions.”

“I’m not sure I understand…”

“Are you familiar with Titan culture?” 

She frowned, “No, not really.” Mina slowly sat back down in her chair, never taking her eyes off of Gorlath.

Gorlath still knelt beside the table, watching her every movement as though afraid she’d run off at any sudden provocation. His nostrils flared, taking a deep breath as he settled himself to kneel on the floor.

“Titan’s are a very physical race.” He started slowly, the words forcibly finding their way to his tongue, his hand stroking her arm where he still held it. “We are guided by a volatile response to physical cues and scents from other races, but none as much as our mate.” He paused, having spoken more words at her in this brief encounter than in all their time working together.

Questions bloomed on her tongue,  _ Don’t interrupt.  _ She bit her cheek. He continued building a fire in her veins with each delicate brush of his fingers on her arm.

“A mate’s scent, emotions, and very presence are extremely provocative.” 

She bit down harder. The fire and questions burning brighter

“A heartmate is almost always known instinctually by a Titan---”.

“Wait, so you mean to tell me that you knew I was your mate from the first day we met?” She bursted out, biting her lip as she felt his fingers stop their movement. So 

_ So much for not interrupting.  _

“Absolutely,” Gorlath whispered, picking up his gentle stroking, “Every day I fought with myself. With my need.” 

Mina could hear his joints cracking as he tensed. His shoulders stiffened and his grip on her arm tightened, “I still struggle.” 

His admission melted her insides into a frantic, swirling pool of fear and desire. 

Her body buzzed, feeling at once too large and too small for her skin. Bursting with energy and shaking with an unknown warmth. She eyed him up and down, slowly pulling her arm from his grip. 

She inhaled deeply, “I need a moment.” 


End file.
